Fight escalates against CBC’s Tandem
CBC personalities Carol Off, Mark Kelley, Nahlah Ayed and Jeannie Lee are among a growing number of staff urging the public broadcaster to drop efforts to sell more branded content.
The marquee hosts and reporters have joined about 500 current and former employees including Peter Mansbridge and Alison Smith who warn that a new marketing division called Tandem will erode the integrity of CBC journalism.
An open letter to the general public warns that producing paid content — advertising that looks like news — is “insidious.” The group of mostly journalists accuse the CBC of using its resources “to help advertisers trick Canadians.”
Another letter from 35 broadcast executives, producers and reporters asks Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault to order the CRTC to investigate Tandem.
CBC management have insisted that editorial and advertising content would remain separate, and stressed a critical need to generate revenue amid big financial pressures.
Some of the broadcaster’s biggest names pushed back Wednesday with a social media campaign and website — stoppaidcontentoncbc.ca — that explains why they are concerned about Tandem.
“In an era of ‘fake news,’ where misinformation is already rife, it undermines trust. That is dangerous,” says the letter, available on the website and signed by CBC stars, including Gillian Deacon of CBC Radio One’s “Here & Now,” and Kelley’s “Fifth Estate” colleagues Gillian Findlay and Bob McKeown.